News Release - Superior Court Rules Bridge Street Encampment Illegal

April 1, 2026

(GREATER NAPANEE, ON) – The Town is preparing to bring a Bridge Street property into
compliance after a judge ruled its use of trailers and cinderblock structures to house people violated
its Zoning By-law.

The Town filed for an injunction at 1388 Bridge Street after staff identified that individuals were
illegally residing on the property, which was also found to contain numerous fire hazards that were
removed by the Fire Department through a warrant.

In a March 24, 2026, ruling, Justice R. Ryan Bell ruled that the use of trailers and cinderblock homes
to house people on the property that was zoned for agriculture violated the Town’s Zoning By-law,
meaning individuals residing there were doing so illegally. “There is no evidence that the property
meets the respective definitions of group home, special care facilities, or transitional housing unit as
set out in s. 3 of the Zoning By-law,” Justice Bell noted in her decision.

Prior to filing for an injunction, the Town petitioned the Government of Ontario to review and amend
legislation governing how provincial housing dollars could be spent after the Town learned that many
of the residents at 1388 Bridge Street were receiving housing supplements from Prince Edward-
Lennox & Addington Social Services (PELASS). The Town’s request to review the legislation was
subsequently declined.

Justice Bell also found that the condition of the property, which contained scrap, refuse, and fire
hazards, violated the Property Standards and Yard Maintenance By-laws and rendered the property
unfit for human occupancy.

In her decision, Justice Bell ordered the owner of the property at 1388 Bridge Street to remove all
trailers, construction materials, and refuse from the site, and to ensure that all occupants vacate the
property by June 1, 2026.

The order also stipulates that if the conditions of the ruling are not met by June 1, the Town has the
authority to remove all the materials and invoice the property owner for any expenses it incurs in
bringing the property into compliance.

Following receipt of the court’s decision, the Town contacted PELASS to request assistance in
notifying any clients residing at the property that their living arrangements had been deemed illegal,
and notified the OPP, whom the Justice indicated may be required should enforcement of the ruling
become necessary.

“The Town will now seek to work with the property owner to ensure the property is able to achieve
compliance by June 1, as required in the order issued by the Superior Court of Ontario,” said Mayor
Terry Richardson. “At the same time, the Town will immediately begin to make preparations to bring
the property into compliance on its own starting June 2 should that become necessary, and to ensure
it is done in a way that costs are not ultimately borne by Greater Napanee taxpayers.”

“The Town understood that the conditions at 1388 Bridge Street represented a health and safety risk
to the individuals living there as well as to neighbouring property owners,” said Chief Administrative
Officer, Matthew Grant. “It is unfortunate that court action was required to achieve compliance and to
ensure that the property was no longer considered suitable for housing vulnerable individuals by the
various parties involved in this issue.”

Media Contact:
Kylie Huffman
Community Engagement & Communications Coordinator
Town of Greater Napanee
T: 613-776-1116
E: khuffman@greaternapanee.com

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